Canada's Porter To Add Five Florida Airports To Network With First E195-E2 U.S. Flights

Canadian carrier Porter Airlines will open its first Embraer E195-E2 service to the U.S. with five routes to Florida from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), including service to Miami International Airport (MIA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).

The carrier will also launch two Florida routes from Ottawa International Airport (YOW). Porter, which is based at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport, began taking delivery of E195-E2s in December 2022. The formerly all-De Havilland Dash 8-400 operator continues to build a network with the aircraft.

After first focusing on domestic routes with the Embraer aircraft, including a number of transcontinental routes from YYZ, the airline is making its E195-E2 foray into the U.S. with service to Florida. Winter-sun routes have long been a staple of the Canadian airline industry.

“Canadians represent the largest group of international travelers to Florida,” Porter says in a statement.

All of the new Porter routes will be operated daily with E195-E2s configured to carry 132 passengers. 

From Nov. 1, Porter will open service to the U.S. with flights between YYZ and Tampa International Airport (TPA). Like all of the Florida routes from YYZ, the return flight to Toronto will be the following day. Arrival at TPA will be at 7:32 p.m., with the return flight departing at 9:05 a.m. the following morning.

Flights between Pearson and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers will be launched from Nov. 10. From Nov. 21, Porter will commence flights between YYZ and MCO. On the same date, the airline will start service between YOW and MCO.

Flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) from both YYZ and YOW will launch on Nov. 30.

“South Florida is a popular destination for Canadian tourists and visiting snowbirds, and we're confident FLL patrons will enjoy this new service,” Mark Gale, the airport’s CEO, says.

Service between Pearson and Miami will kick off on Dec. 12. “At 603,000 passengers in 2022, Canada was already MIA’s 10th-busiest international market last year, and travel between Canada and MIA is up a whopping 44% so far this year,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says. “I look forward to seeing Porter Airlines’ daily service from Toronto strengthen that thriving connection between Canada and Miami-Dade County even more.”

Porter Executive VP and Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Jackson says “Canadians are used to flying to Florida, but not like this.” He touts the carrier’s “free WiFi, no middle seats, free beer and wine alongside premium snacks or fresh, healthy food.”